Top juveniles, Runnning Brook Gal and First Klas Fred came into the Southwest Juvenile Championship as the top-two-ranked 2-year-olds in the latest poll. Running Brook Gal completed her 2009 Season with a victory in the G1 Southwest Juvenile.

 

Weetona Stanley and William Smith’s First Prize Leesa ran a strong race from the outside post position under jockey Cody Jensen for second. The Heath Taylor-trained Mr Jess Perry filly made her Zia Park debut in the Southwest Juvenile. Earlier this season she captured the grade 1 Remington Park Futurity.

 

Bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley, First Prize Leesa is a daughter of Mr Jess Perry from the Dash For Cash mare First Prize Dash. She is a full sister to 2006 Remington Park Futurity winner First Prize Robin, 2006 Heritage Place Futurity winner First Carolina and has many other siblings with grade 1 stakes racing success. She is the fourth grade 1 winner from the full sister to all-time leading sire First Down Dash.

 

Denis and Julie Schoenhofer’s third-place finisher First Klas Fred won the Ruidoso Futurity over Runnning Brook Gal, who had a troubled start. The Mike Joiner-trained gelding also prevailed over Runnning Brook Gal in the Grade 2 Hobbs America Futurity.

 

The complete order of finish in the Southwest Juvenile Championship was Runnning Brook Gal, First Prize Leesa, First Klas Fred, Shesa First Ratify, Here Kittykittykitty, Ragazzo, Winners Cartel, Mr Jess XI, Fredricka, Mr Celeb Jess and Effortless Jessie.

 

photo credit: Coady Photography